Why Should You Consider A Poly Lighthouse?
There are a number of advantages to choosing a poly lighthouse over wood. In this article we will touch on the 4 greatest reasons for choosing poly.
Poly Lighthouses Are The GREEN Choice
Our HDPE poly lumber is an environmentally friendly product made from recycled plastic bottles. While wood lighthouses are often constructed from lumber harvested from sustainable forestry projects, poly lumber is clearly the GREEN choice.
Our HDPE polymer lumber contains as high as 99% recycled plastic materials, making it some of the most eco-friendly poly lumber available. Using High Density or HDPE is safer for the environment, and for the consumer as studies have shown it contains less contaminates than other poly lumber.
This lumber is made by collecting HDPE plastic bottles for recycle, they are then baled & trucked to the production facility where the bottles are ground into flakes, washed, color sorted, then the plastic is heated and pelletized. Now it is ready be recycled into lumber.
This process keeps billions of plastic bottles out of our landfills and oceans. It takes well over a hundred plastic milk jugs just to make the poly lumber used to manufacture 1 of our 2 foot lighthouses. Our larger lighthouse models have made constructive use of upwards of 1,000 milk jugs.
Another side benefit of using HDPE with high recycle content is it takes 33% less energy to make poly lumber from recycled bottles than it does if you are making HDPE from petroleum.
Buying a lighthouse made with HDPE from recycled materials, saves the environment by repurposing 100's of plastic bottles, it saves energy, and you recieve a beautiful, maintenance free product that is far superior to wood. Make the GREEN choice, buy poly today!
Poly Is More Durable Than Wood
Another indicator for choosing a poly lighthouse over a wooden one is climate. While some locations may be dry, if your lighthouse will be exposed to harsh weather conditions we recommend poly over wood. Poly is heavier, stronger and more durable than wood, it is designed to endure extreme weather conditions from scorching sun to frigid temperatures.
Poly Does Not Rot or Decay
Location may be the first indicator that you should consider purchasing a poly lighthouse. If you are planning to purchase a lighthouse to be placed in a coastal area, we highly recommend choosing poly, as unlike wood, poly is largely unaffected by a high salinity environment.
If you are planning to place a lighthouse on a dock, next to water, or anywhere that the base of the lighthouse will come in contact with water on a consistent basis again you should choose poly over wood, since poly does not rot or decay. If the area you plan to place your lighthouse is consistently damp, or doesn't get much sunlight, again poly will be unaffected by this environment, while wood will rot over time.
Poly Is Virtually Maintenance Free
If you are looking for a "set it and forget it" piece of nautical decor, then poly is the way to go. Our poly lighthouses are constructed from an extremely high performance polymer that doesn’t require sealing, painting or staining. It will not rot or splinter, and contains UV inhibitors that resist fading. It contains no filler, such as wood fiber, that would cause moisture absorption and promote bacterial growth. Marine grade quality stainless steel fasteners are used to inhibit rust.
With poly, the UV protect-ant and color are continuously throughout the polymer material, so in the rare occasion that you do scratch the surface, the color is the same under the surface.
Wood or Poly Which Is The Better Investment?
Wood lighthouses are considerably cheaper than poly but they also have a limited life expectancy, 7-10 years in optimum environments. Poly costs more but in exchange for the price you get a life expectancy upwards of several decades in most environments. As a consumer you need to weigh the maintenance factors and shorter life span of wood against the cost of a virtually maintenance free poly product and make the choice that makes the most sense for you.
Still have questions? Visit our Lighthouse Buyers Guide for more information. Need help with choosing the options for your lighthouse? Please call us at 484-388-1508, we will be glad to assist you in creating the poly lighthouse of your dreams.